We keep hearing that phrase: corporate culture. Corporate culture. You keep hearing that a corporate culture that puts employee well-being first and that emphasizes communication, collaboration and cooperation are all ideal. And maybe you’ve noticed your own company doesn’t quite match those ideals. In other words, to have this dream culture, you’ll have to invest time, energy and money into making changes.
But… why? What’s the point? What will your company gain out of all these investments. Is corporate culture really worth all the trouble?
We spoke to Chief People and Culture Officer for HDG Hotels and workplace culture expert, Lisa Lombardo, for her insights on what investing in your culture can do for your company. Here are just a few of the benefits you’ll reap from a people-first corporate culture.
You Solidify Your Company’s Priorities
Lombardo believes that the first step toward true progress is having a clarity of purpose. When everyone on your team is on the same page, it’s much easier to move forward in the same direction as one, united by a common goal.
“Culture is shared beliefs between the employees of the company as humans and the goals of the organization,” she explains. “Once you define what culture means to you, it is no longer just a buzzword.”
Your company’s culture and its business practices are inextricably linked. Employees working within a culture of positivity and trust can make confident decisions and work without fear. Employees trapped in a toxic culture, on the other hand, are rarely capable of doing their best work. Supporting one supports the other.
You Show Your Employees You Care
One extremely important part of building an effective corporate culture, Lombardo explains, is investing in your employees. “You must give your employees a tool that shows you care.” She told us. Employees are the foundation of your company, after all, and without them, you’ll have a hard time achieving much of anything!
Your employees are your responsibility for as long as they work for you. When you take good care of them, not only are they capable of producing better work, it strengthens their trust and loyalty in the company they work for. This can lead to a reduction in turnover but it can also lead to recruitment opportunities as employees suggest people from their own social networks as new positions open. Basically, when you take care of your employees, your employees will take care of you!
You End up Saving Time, Energy and Money
Investing in your employees may feel like a massive undertaking, especially if you’re starting from the very bottom. You might even feel overwhelmed, or unsure of where to begin. What can you do to build a positive culture? Weekly game nights? Yoga classes? Walking meetings? Therapists? How much is all of this going to cost?
If you’re hearing the cha-ching of cash registers and feeling financial panic, slow down! Yes, some of the investment required may be financial. Bringing in outside resources can be extremely useful, especially when you’re just getting started. “At HDG,” Lombardo explains, “we have Project Rise, where we give [employees] relief, inspiration, motivation, support and education.”
But once you get the ball rolling and have your cultural infrastructure in place, you may start to notice you’ve begun saving money after a while. Your employees are less stressed, so they take fewer sick days, which saves you money. People are also less likely to quit since they feel valued, saving you on recruitment costs. And, because your employees are healthier and happier, they’re more productive, saving time and energy.
Think of it like the difference between working in a messy office versus working in a clean one. Yes, hiring a cleaning service is expensive, and having to go through all of the files and junk is cumbersome, but once the work is done, it’s smooth sailing!
You Help Your Company Build Strong Habits
According to Lombardo, “To build a culture you need to turn your culture into a habit.” Every small action you take today builds into a long-lasting habit of beliefs and behaviors tomorrow. To get to the culture you want, you must start immediately, but you don’t have to do everything at once. In fact, that would be counterproductive! It’s much more effective to take it one small step at a time.
That’s exactly what we aim to do here at Fabulous. We use the same habit-building science that’s been transforming millions of lives since our launch in 2014 to transform the cultures of companies like yours into something built on trust, good health, and openness. It’s quick, it’s easy, and Fabulous is there to support you every step of the way, one-on-one and as a team, to achieve personal goals and professional ones.
We’re ready to help transform your company’s culture. Are you ready? To learn more or sign up, visit thefabulous.co/work or click here.
